Immersed in the Craft. There

¶ … immersed in the craft. There is so much to read that one could never attempt to read it all. Reading what others have to say and how they say it also allows us to see how others do it. Alfred Rosa asserts that by reading, we are studying the styles and techniques of others and, in doing so, we can "learn how we might effectively do the same" (Rosa 47). We can never hope to read everything but we can at least attempt to read some of the best and most interesting pieces of work available. George Miller notes that reading is significant for writers because writers "learn to write effectively in the same way that they learn to do any other activity. You study the rules or advice on how it is done; you practice, especially under a watchful eye of an instructor or a coach; and you study how others have mastered similar problems and techniques" (Miller 2). Reading allows us to understand that there are many types and styles of writing. We can only know what these are if we read. Reading gives us the opportunity to look at the craft of writing from a different perspective.

Rosa also mentions how important it to read with a "writer's eye" (Rosa 47). This is reading that involves a little more than simply wanting to be entertained. Reading with a writer's eye will allow us to answer the questions about how others writers successfully used certain techniques and help us understand why they are successful. Reading also gives us with "information, ideas, and perspectives" (48) for development.

Reading also increases our "awareness of how others writing" (48) effects us. Reading also increases our ability to be a good reader. This becomes essential because we always become our worst critics. For this purpose, we must learn to be objective and how well we can view our writing will effect how well we can revise it (48). Many times, we throw our work away before we give it a chance. We must learn to read our writing as if it is not our own and try to see it from the eyes of someone else that is not emotionally invested in the work. It may sound strange but it is important to become a good reader and the only way to do this is through practice.

If I only had one paragraph in which to convince someone what is necessary to become a better writer, I would tell him or her practice. Nothing can take the place of practice and it takes a lot of practice for one to become good. I would tell them practice on many different styles and to write about many different things. I would tell them to turn off the editor in their brains and just free write for a while. I would also tell them to try to make this as much fun as possible.